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Dancing at Midnight - The Life of June Parker
*AWARDED THE INDIE B.R.A.G. MEDALLION* Carolyn Graves has returned to her childhood home after a 15 year absence, following the death of her mother. With the purpose of settling her mother’s estate, Carolyn attempts to push past the emotions of their strained relationship - and her own anxiety - to quickly complete the process and be on her way. But as Carolyn begins to sort through her mother’s private documents, she discovers a disturbing history behind her mother’s early life. As a result, Carolyn learns the truth about her parent’s relationship and the secrets they have kept hidden for decades.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2020
10 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 30, 2022
Dancing at Midnight was a beautiful, bittersweet read that I couldn’t put down!
Featuring June, a woman who was born during the Great Depression and who suffered a difficult childhood, we learn of her formative years through a journal she wrote. Each entry was poignant and well written. I was instantly invested in her story and I was so curious to know what had happened to her to make her become the woman her daughter knew.
June tugged at my heart strings. She went through so much at such a young age and I couldn’t believe her strength and resilience. She was a great heroine to root for and I loved reading about her ups and down.
I am definitely going to read the sequel soon and I highly recommend this book to any fans of women’s literature!
Featuring June, a woman who was born during the Great Depression and who suffered a difficult childhood, we learn of her formative years through a journal she wrote. Each entry was poignant and well written. I was instantly invested in her story and I was so curious to know what had happened to her to make her become the woman her daughter knew.
June tugged at my heart strings. She went through so much at such a young age and I couldn’t believe her strength and resilience. She was a great heroine to root for and I loved reading about her ups and down.
I am definitely going to read the sequel soon and I highly recommend this book to any fans of women’s literature!
June 29, 2021
Dancing at Midnight by Rebecca Graves is a deeply emotional novel that hooked me from the beginning, and made me feel as if I actually knew the characters in real life. This was especially true for the protagonist, June Parker.
I enjoy stories that highlight human foibles, yet focus on themes of resilience and growth; this is an exemplary example of such a story.
In addition to the realistic emotion conveyed, I also found the style of the writing engaging. The journal technique was perfectly suited to this tale. It also allowed me to get to know June’s daughter at the same time Graves delves into the past and details June’s own story. Brilliant!
Family tragedy and secrets are often an extremely painful part of growing up, or maturing. This is portrayed with such realism that it was difficult to read certain sections. I could relate to some of the moments, and marvelled at the beauty of Graves’s prose.
This book is a balanced view of a mother-daughter relationship. The historical element was an added bonus. Highly recommend for fans of literary fiction and exploration of themes related to family life.
I enjoy stories that highlight human foibles, yet focus on themes of resilience and growth; this is an exemplary example of such a story.
In addition to the realistic emotion conveyed, I also found the style of the writing engaging. The journal technique was perfectly suited to this tale. It also allowed me to get to know June’s daughter at the same time Graves delves into the past and details June’s own story. Brilliant!
Family tragedy and secrets are often an extremely painful part of growing up, or maturing. This is portrayed with such realism that it was difficult to read certain sections. I could relate to some of the moments, and marvelled at the beauty of Graves’s prose.
This book is a balanced view of a mother-daughter relationship. The historical element was an added bonus. Highly recommend for fans of literary fiction and exploration of themes related to family life.
October 20, 2022
Dancing At Midnight is the heartbreaking tale of a Carolyn, a young woman who comes home to deal with the death of her mother, June Parker – and the estate she has left behind – only to discover the painful, untold truth about her June’s early life.
This is very different from what I usually read – but I stepped into it with an open mind and eager eyes. I prefer to read thrillers, horror, Sci-Fi and fantasy, and the mystery of what could have happened to June during her early years that would have been so terrifying, awful, and painful that not even her own daughter knew about it until after her death, hooked me from even before page one.
The book starts off with Carolyn coming home, and very quickly jumps back in time to her mother’s childhood, after Carolyn finds June old diaries. June’s early years are sweet, but full of hardship and burdens, and after her father leaves her and her mother behind, June’s difficulties begin in earnest. She ends up in a home shortly after, when her mother’s realizes she can’t care for young June all alone, and June has to fend for herself.
The story of June is a beautiful but troublesome one, full of loss, grief, loneliness and anger, but it’s also a sweet one, full of friendships, love, hope and happiness. The writing is delicate and nuanced, yet fast-paced and to the point. It strung me along through every twist and turn, around every bend, and over every hump. The book is interspersed with short chapters where we go back to Carolyn, following a long as she reads about her mother, and in many ways it felt like I, the reader, had the exact same experience. At the end, I was left surprised.
I felt sometimes that some parts of the book were brushed over – June would find herself in trouble, only for it to be sorted out in the next instant. In this way it was as if some of that darkness lost its effect – I got a sense of feeling like any one conflict would never remain for too long. Of course, not long after, June would find herself in trouble again, and that’s how her life went on until she grew up – and maybe it was this constant swinging between ups and downs that was the real struggle all along.
The ending brought it all together though. Like I said – I don’t usually read this kind of romantic drama, but I have to say it paid off. The ending is… bitter-sweet, but it’s sweet. If you’re into mysterious family dramas, tragic love stories, and bitter-sweet romances, then this is definitely a book for you. I like trying out new things, and reading this book surprised me.
This is very different from what I usually read – but I stepped into it with an open mind and eager eyes. I prefer to read thrillers, horror, Sci-Fi and fantasy, and the mystery of what could have happened to June during her early years that would have been so terrifying, awful, and painful that not even her own daughter knew about it until after her death, hooked me from even before page one.
The book starts off with Carolyn coming home, and very quickly jumps back in time to her mother’s childhood, after Carolyn finds June old diaries. June’s early years are sweet, but full of hardship and burdens, and after her father leaves her and her mother behind, June’s difficulties begin in earnest. She ends up in a home shortly after, when her mother’s realizes she can’t care for young June all alone, and June has to fend for herself.
The story of June is a beautiful but troublesome one, full of loss, grief, loneliness and anger, but it’s also a sweet one, full of friendships, love, hope and happiness. The writing is delicate and nuanced, yet fast-paced and to the point. It strung me along through every twist and turn, around every bend, and over every hump. The book is interspersed with short chapters where we go back to Carolyn, following a long as she reads about her mother, and in many ways it felt like I, the reader, had the exact same experience. At the end, I was left surprised.
I felt sometimes that some parts of the book were brushed over – June would find herself in trouble, only for it to be sorted out in the next instant. In this way it was as if some of that darkness lost its effect – I got a sense of feeling like any one conflict would never remain for too long. Of course, not long after, June would find herself in trouble again, and that’s how her life went on until she grew up – and maybe it was this constant swinging between ups and downs that was the real struggle all along.
The ending brought it all together though. Like I said – I don’t usually read this kind of romantic drama, but I have to say it paid off. The ending is… bitter-sweet, but it’s sweet. If you’re into mysterious family dramas, tragic love stories, and bitter-sweet romances, then this is definitely a book for you. I like trying out new things, and reading this book surprised me.
October 20, 2020
This book is amazing. It gives a lot of insight into a world that most didn’t understand. It highlights the hard decision the “Silent Generation” has to make and one woman’s journey to discover who her mother really was. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful. A definite must read!
October 20, 2020
A heart-breaking yet beautiful story of love, loss, redemption and forgiveness. I read this book in less than a day, eager to find out June's story.
March 1, 2025
The Life of June Parker is about a woman, Carolyn who discovers the hidden journal of her mother, June, after June's passing. The main story takes place in the past from June's childhood to adulthood, with occasional moments in the present with Carolyn's thoughts about the journal.
I really enjoyed reading the story. June doesn't have the easiest life, but the ups and downs make for an engaging read. The two timelines give more depth into June's life, seeing her from the perspective of her daughter after the events recorded in the journals. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
I really enjoyed reading the story. June doesn't have the easiest life, but the ups and downs make for an engaging read. The two timelines give more depth into June's life, seeing her from the perspective of her daughter after the events recorded in the journals. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
March 25, 2024
Dancing at Midnight is a well-written and heartfelt story that explores generational trauma through the journey of June Parker and her daughter, Carolyn Graves, as they heal the wounds that have deeply impacted their lives.
Family is a theme that runs deep in Dancing at Midnight, as Graves portrays family situations that range from heartbreaking and abusive to loving and ideal. She does not shy away from showing the ugly side of characters while also accurately capturing the feelings of the children in her story as they deal with abuse, neglect, and abandonment. At one point, as June is left at an orphanage, she thinks, “I felt like a damaged object being returned to the factory for disposal.” There were so many moments like this one when I wanted to wrap these precious characters in a hug to remind them that they matter and deserve love.
Perhaps most importantly, Graves beautifully highlights the truth that so many of us have discovered: family can be chosen and does not need to be dictated by blood. This is the truth June and her friends discover as they learn to release toxic relatives and embrace those individuals whom they have come to love as dearly as a biological family.
Dancing at Midnight details emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, which may be difficult for some readers to digest. While these scenes were challenging to read, bringing them to the forefront is critical to protecting children and adults from these abuses.
I put off reading the last 20% of the book for several days because I knew Graves would leave me in an absolute puddle of tears…and she did. If anything, this demonstrates how attached I became to the characters and how reluctant I was to say goodbye to each of them and their stories.
Read the full review at The Redhead Notes.
Family is a theme that runs deep in Dancing at Midnight, as Graves portrays family situations that range from heartbreaking and abusive to loving and ideal. She does not shy away from showing the ugly side of characters while also accurately capturing the feelings of the children in her story as they deal with abuse, neglect, and abandonment. At one point, as June is left at an orphanage, she thinks, “I felt like a damaged object being returned to the factory for disposal.” There were so many moments like this one when I wanted to wrap these precious characters in a hug to remind them that they matter and deserve love.
Perhaps most importantly, Graves beautifully highlights the truth that so many of us have discovered: family can be chosen and does not need to be dictated by blood. This is the truth June and her friends discover as they learn to release toxic relatives and embrace those individuals whom they have come to love as dearly as a biological family.
Dancing at Midnight details emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, which may be difficult for some readers to digest. While these scenes were challenging to read, bringing them to the forefront is critical to protecting children and adults from these abuses.
I put off reading the last 20% of the book for several days because I knew Graves would leave me in an absolute puddle of tears…and she did. If anything, this demonstrates how attached I became to the characters and how reluctant I was to say goodbye to each of them and their stories.
Read the full review at The Redhead Notes.
March 1, 2023
Good!
I haven't enjoyed a book in quite some tim
e. I wish there was a sequel to it!
I definitely recommend it.
I haven't enjoyed a book in quite some tim
e. I wish there was a sequel to it!
I definitely recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews